Concentrator.



No. 87l,546. PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

. U. H- WILKIE.

GONCENTRATOR.

APPLIOATION Hmm APB.20.1907.

2 suma-sum CALVIN H. WILKIE, OF DOUGLAS, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

CONCENTRATOR.

Naa 71,546.

Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

Application filed Apri120 1907. Serial No. 369.359.

To all whom tt may concerns Be it known that I, CALVIN H. VVILKIE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Douglas, in the county ofCochise and Territory of Arizona, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Concentrators, of

which the following is a speeification.

This invention relates to eoncentrators or, as they are also known, oreseparators, the invention being particularly adapted for incorporationin that type of devices known as hydraulie separators.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this characterwhich is comparatively simple in eonstruction, yet strong and effectivein operation.

In the drawings aceompanying and forming part of this specifieation lshow in detail certain forms of embodiment of the invention which, toenable those skilled in the art to practice the same, will be fully setloi-th in the following description, while the novelty of the inventionwill be included in the claims succeeding said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a central vertical section of anamalgamator or hydraulie ore Separator involving my invention. Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation with a modified formof supporting means shown in seeton.

Like characters rei'er to like parts throughout the several figures.

The device includes in its make-up a tank as 2 which contains a waterpressure chamber as 3 and a separating ehamber as 4. The tank in thepresent case comprises a bottom as' 5, a diaphragm as 6, and a body orshell as 7.` These several parts may be made in any desirable way, 'forexample, by casting.` The bottom 5 consists of a dishlike part, whilethe diaphragm 6 preferably consists-of a disk. I prefer to make the bodyor shell 7 of eylindrical form. The bottom 5, diaphragm 6, and shell 7are connected together in some water-tight manner as by bolts S at themarginal portion of the disk. The space between the bottom 5 anddiaphragm 6 presents the chamber 3 to which'l have previously referred,while the diaphragm and shell 7 present together the separating chamber4 to which I have also previously referred. The shell 2 is non-rotativeand from it depend several standards as 9, one of which suitablysupports the shaft 10 driven in any desrable way and from which theagitating mechanism hereinafter described reeeives its motion.

Upon the upper side of the bottom 5 and rising substantially centrallythere'l'rom is an imperforate tube or sleeve 11 through which the shaft12 extends, the said shaft extending from out the lower end of said tubeand through the bottom and its lower end being stopped in a bearing as13. By employing a tube or sleeve as 11 which is imperforate I preventthe substanees within the tank 2 from passing into said tube. Said shaftis shown as having fastened thereto below said bottom a beveled gear as14 meshing with a beveled pinion as 15 on the main shalt 10. When,therefore, the shaft 10 is rotated, the shaft 12 will be also rotated.The tube 11 is externally of diil'erent diameters, by reason of whichthere is formed thereon near the base thercof an annular shoulder as 16on which the central portion of the diaphragm or disk 6 is supported sothat there is no possibility of the disk collapsing by reason of theWeight of the mass of material thereon. It will be understood, ofcourse, that the disk has a central opening through which the redueeddiametrical portion of the tube 11 passes. I prefer to positivelyconnect the diaphragm or disk 6 with the shoulder 16, and for'thispurpose may provide several screws as 17. I prefer to interpose betweenthe rotary shai't 12 and the stationary slceve or tube 11 a collar as 18of Babbitt or equivalent metal. The bottom 5 and tube 11 I prefer tomake integral.

The agitating means consists in the present case of a head as 19 and amultiplicity of rods as 20 depending from the head. The head 19 ispreferably made in the form of a disk of slightly less diameter than theshell 7, has a central opening through' which the upper redueed end ofthe shaft 12 passes, and rests on a shoulder as 21 near the top of theshaft. The head or disk 19 can be splined or otherwise connected to saidshaft 12 for rotation therewith. The agitating rods 20, of which thereare a large number, are connected rigidly at their upper ends in anydesirable way to the head 19, are arranged in annular rows or groups,are straight, and eX- tend near to the diaphragm 6. The head or disk 19has therein an opening or openings through which the pulp can be fed tothe ehamber 4. I prefer to provide a number of these openings as 22 andto arrange them in cireular order within that part of the head orcentral part of the hopper 23.

disk which constitutes in effect the bottom of the hopper 23 fastened insome suitable way to the upper side of the head of disk 19.

I prefer to fit over the upper end of the shaft 12 a deflector or coneas 24 which prevents the material from collecting at the The pulp isdelivered into said hopper 23 and gravitates through the openings 22,the cone 24 serving to positively guide the pulp toward and into saidopenings. When the pulp leaves the openings 22 it enters the chamber 4and descends toward the diaphragm 6.

A supply pipe as 25 is provided for admitting water under pressure intothe chamber 3, the delivery end of the pipe being shown as fitted intothe chamber 5. The water underpressure rises through the chamber orspace-3 and passes through the perforations e thereof.

in the diaphragm, so as to efi ectually wash the material and to causethe elevation of the light particles in the pulp, which in the form oftailings rise in the chamber 4 and are discharged therefrom by way of aspout as 26' leading from the shell 7 below the lower edge The mineralvalues being heavy descend onto said diaphragm. When the water is beingsupplied into the pressure chamber 3 the agitating means hereinbeforedescribed is being operated so as to thoroughly stir up the material inthe chamber 4 to facilitate separation of the mineral values from therefuse. I prefer to connect with the pipe 25 a pressure gage as 27serving its customary function, and I may regulate the pressure in thechamber 3 by the manipulation of the valve 28, or the water may beentirely shut off by this valve. v

From time to time I draw off the mineral values as by way of the valvedpipe 29 shown as eXtending through the bottom 5 and fitted in thediaphragm 6.

The only diflerence between What is shown in Fig. 3 and what isrepresented in Figs. 1 and 2, or more particularly in Fig. 1, is in thebearing means below the tank 2. The bearing means in said Fig. 3consists 'of a dish-like casting a's 9' provided with a stepbearing 13'for receiving the shaft 12. This member 9 is connected to the tank 2 bythe bolts 8 which unite the parts of said tank together, and it isprovided with a depending fiange 9" which, with the central portion ofthe dish-like bearing 9', rests upon a suitable foundation. v

What I claim is:

1. In a concentrator, a tank comprising a bottom, a perforateddiaphragm, and a shell suitably connected together, the diaphragm andbottom being separated to provide a pressure chamber, and the diaphragmand shell constituting together a separating chamber, said bottom havingan imperforate tube rising therefrom, extending through, and supportingthe central portion of the diaphragm, a shaft eXtending through thetube, means connected with one end of the shaft for rotating the same, acone fitted to the other end of the shaft, an agitating head rotativewith the shaft and located between the cone and tube, and agitatingdevices connected with the head and extending into said separatingchamber.

2. In a concentrator, a tank comprising a bottom, a perforateddiaphragm, and a shell suitably connected together, the bottom having animperforate tube eXtending u ward therefrom, through and supporting t ecentral portion of the diaphragm, a'shaft eX- tending through the tube,driving means connected with the lower end of the shaft, a headconnected with the upper portion of the shaft and provided with pendentagitating devices eXtending into the shell, a cone fitted to the upperend of the shaft, and a hopper fastened to the head and eXtending aroundthe cone, the head having openings between the cone and hopper for theentrance of material into the shell.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CALVIN. H. WILKIE.

Witnesses:

SAM L. ELDER,

v W. S. DIXON.

